Myopic: Lack of discernment or long-range perspective in thinking or planning.

You have often read in this blog about the importance of living in the present moment. There’s no question that living in the present moment keeps you centered. However, that does not preclude looking long-range on a regular basis. You don’t want to be myopic – it does not serve you.

A long-range perspective increases your vision and preparedness for the future. It allows you to prepare for what may come. You can start from the present moment and look ahead at the potential results and consequences of your decisions and actions. Run any decisions or actions you are contemplating out a few years and use your critical mind and imagination to vision what your decision or action could look like at that time. Then, let your vision inform the present moment, as you move forward.

You can live in the present and, at the same time, be wise for the future. Let your vision grow and see grander vistas as you manage.

Clarity is essential to making good decisions. There are many things that can cloud your vision, without your realizing that they are doing so. What kind of things? Here are several: biases, fears, attitudes, pre-judgments, ambiguity or confusion. Discerning when any of these things are present in your decision-making is a skill that is worth developing.

Take a moment and look back at a decision that resulted in trouble for you. What was going on when you made the decision? Did you have clarity around it? Then, look at a decision that went well for you. Did you have clarity when you made it? One way to create clarity is to stop when making a significant decision and bring yourself fully to the present moment. Ascertain what is happening in the present and let it inform the decision you make. Develop ways to clear your vision. With clear vision, you are able to see everything around you and your decisions will reflect your clarity.

“We need time to dream, time to remember, and time to reach the infinite. Time to be.” ― Gladys Taber

Dreaming is practical. Where are vision, leadership and innovation without dreaming? Creating DreamSpace for yourself will further your career and your happiness. Some of the features of DreamSpace are:

a free space to do whatever you please

enough time to detach from “life”

relaxation

focus for your dreaming (although, daydreaming works too and can open up a new focus for you)

Try creating some DreamSpace for yourself this month. Unleash your creativity and vision.

One of the biggest adjustments in becoming a manager is realizing that managing your team is a full-time job. And then you have to get your own work done! Is it laughable when I suggest you must find time to vision and create?

Your skills and upward mobility can stagnate if time is not there for visioning and creativity. That is how your unique voice comes through and you can shine. Visioning and creativity also fuel you, countering the many energy drains you face as a manager. So how do you do it? Balance your life and how you use your time. Make finding time for your visioning and creativity a non- negotiable. As it rises in priority, the time will be there.